Dhaka, July 27 (IANS): The number of tigers in the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, has decreased drastically, with only around 100 to be found in the Bangladeshi part, says a new survey.

The survey by Bangladesh's forest department, with technical support from the Wildlife Institute of India, titled "Tiger Abundance in Bangladesh Sundarbans", said there were only 106 tigers in the Bangladesh part, Xinhua reported.

The governmental tiger census carried out in 2004 with the pug mark method estimated the number of tigers in the Bangladesh Sundarbans at 440.

"This is the first ever effort to quantify tiger abundance in Bangladesh Sundarbans based on a robust scientific protocol using camera traps and double sampling approach," the report said.

The study was carried out under the Strengthening Regional Cooperation of Wildlife Protection project funded by the World Bank for both Bangladesh and Indian portions of Sundarbans in between 2013 and 2014.